The response was enthusiastic and the applause lasted for a long time. The actors took three bows before the audience reluctantly left one after another.
They followed the crowd out, and in front of them was a young couple. The girl was still sobbing softly, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with a tissue.
"Why are you so tearful?" The boy put one hand in his pocket. "What's there to cry about? I don't understand."
The girl sniffed, "Of course you didn't understand. Shay has been waiting for him."
As she spoke, she couldn't help crying again. Her boyfriend took the paper and wiped her face roughly: "That's enough, why are you crying?"
"My eye makeup is smudged!"
"Okay, okay, do it yourself." He impatiently stuffed the tissue back into her hand, "How do you know he's waiting for that, that... Wang Lin, right? I can't even remember his name... This play isn't clear either, it's inexplicable..."
The girl stopped and stared at him.
"That's right. What evidence do you have?" The boy was still complacent. "You can't explain it, right? There's no evidence. You women just love to move yourselves... Hey, if it's not you who left..."
Before he finished speaking, the girl threw her handbag into his arms, turned around and ran away. The boy was stunned for a moment before he remembered to chase her: "Wait for me..."
The flow of people in front came to a brief halt because of the chase. Fortunately, the corridor of the performance hall was not long and did not cause more commotion.
"The clothes belong to Wang Lin." Sheng Min said softly as she watched the couple leaving.
"Hmm?" Li Xuan turned his head.
At this time, they had already walked to the theater lobby. The next performances, except for "King Lear" half an hour later, the remaining small halls were all Peking operas. Most of the people waiting at this time were gray-haired elderly people.
"The last shirt Shay collected was the one Wang Lin wore on the first day they met."
Sheng Min's tone was as gentle as ever, with a hint of smile. He said nothing more, but Li Xuan felt like a bad student who was caught by the teacher for being distracted in class. He admitted that he was not paying attention to the play and only roughly read the plot, but Sheng Min was sitting next to him, they were so close, how could it be entirely his fault for being distracted
"I know I'm waiting for him." Li Xuan coughed calmly and pointed to the vending machine at the corner. "Are you thirsty? What do you want to drink?"
Sheng Min's eyebrows curved: "Same as you."
There was no fruit tea that Sheng Min usually drank, so he bought two bottles of soda water. When he came back, Sheng Min was no longer there, and Li Xuan found him next to the bulletin board.
"Thank you." Li Xuan unscrewed the bottle cap and handed it to him. Sheng Min took it and took a sip.
"What are you looking at?"
The whole wall was covered with posters, including recent plays, theater recruitment, and photos of actors winning awards... Sheng Min's eyes fell on one of the recruitment posters. On the dark green background were water marks like dew drops winding along the glass, and the top line read the title of the play "Bu Jiu Shan". The style of the poster was very similar to "When the Moon Sets". Li Xuan saw the director's line and it was indeed the same person, Yin Qianpin.
"A new drama?" Li Xuan asked.
"Probably."
"Are you recruiting actors now?" Li Xuan raised his eyebrows. "Do you want to go?"
The actor requirements are quite brief: Male lead, age 20-25, height over 175cm. Female lead, age 20-25, height over 165cm.
There were no other requirements written. Looking further down, Li Xuan only saw the contact information and registration deadline at the end.
Sheng Min didn't answer, but smiled and said, "Let's go."
"Director Yin is very strict and only accepts newcomers. The leading actors in all his plays are either those who have never acted before and have no experience, or those who he has been using all the time, such as the actor who plays Wang Lin today."
After entering the elevator, Sheng Min noticed Li Xuan's hesitant look and explained.
"So do you want to go?"
"Yeah... I really like his plays."
"Maybe..."
"That's not the case." Sheng Min understood what he meant. Looking at the number that kept jumping in front of him, he was silent for a while and said softly, "Actually, I submitted my resume before. I was about 17 years old? I hadn't participated in the talent show yet... An assistant director tried a scene, but nothing happened after that. I guess he wasn't suitable... It's even more impossible now. Director Yin won't use artists who are familiar to the audience, and the company won't allow me to spend a year or more rehearsing a play that can't create much economic benefits... Many things can't be thought of just by thinking. I've tried it, and it doesn't matter."
Sheng Min's face was reflected on the elevator door, his eyes were clear and honest. He turned around and saw Li Xuan frowning, and smiled easily: "I have already gained a lot... and I also accept everything I can't get."
Li Xuan wanted to say something else, but he was stunned when he heard it. After a long silence, he said, "It's not because you are not good."
Sheng Min smiled: "I know."
They did not continue this topic. Perhaps they had already gotten used to not always having things go their way. Sheng Min's expression and tone were normal, but Li Xuan was a little distracted and drove out of the garage. Sheng Min called out twice before he responded as if he had just woken up from a dream.
"Are you tired?" Sheng Min asked him gently, "Stop by the roadside ahead and let me drive."
"Not tired." Li Xuan shook his head, "Are you tired?"
Sheng Min didn't say anything, but used the light coming in from the car window to carefully look at him to see if there was any sign of fatigue between his brows.
"I'm really not tired. I was just thinking about something." Li Xuan saw his intention and said, "I'm asking you."
Sheng Min smiled again: "Where else are we going?"
"May I?"
Sheng Min hummed, without asking about the destination: "Okay."
There was some traffic jam on the way out of the theater, but luckily the road was not long, and once we got on the elevated road, the traffic became smoother after it was diverted. We turned left onto the ring road, and only when we saw the toll booth did we realize we were leaving the city.
It was late at night, and the dense trees on both sides were dimly visible under the night sky. It was the plum rain season, and fog gradually rose. A milky white layer of gauze descended, and it was impossible to see the surrounding scenery or the road ahead clearly.
The vague outlines of the rolling hills in the distance are endless in the night, as if the road has no end and the car will never stop.
Sheng Min turned her head slightly to look at Li Xuan's profile, from his slightly messy forehead hair, to his high nose bridge and thin lips.
There was an English song playing in the car, which roughly meant that I didn’t know where I was going, and I was looking for the place where my soul would return…
Sheng Min was not sleepy at first. After the birthday party at the company ended last night, he gave Yang Xu a day off and stayed at home to rest. But at this moment, he felt inexplicably at ease, as if he had fallen into a soft cloud. He felt that the scene in front of him was just like yesterday, and he couldn't remember which day it was, and gradually fell asleep.
I felt very depressed, probably having a dream, but I had no recollection of it when I woke up.
The air conditioner in the car was on low, and Li Xuan had put his coat on him without knowing when. Sheng Min was still a little confused, and his nose brushed against the collar, smelling a very faint scent. Lemon, mint or fig, it is difficult to find an accurate metaphor, it just makes people think of everything refreshing and clean.
"Awake?" Li Xuan called him softly.
"Um... How long have I slept?"
"Not long."
"Are we there yet?" Sheng Min sat up straight and looked out the window. They had already gotten off the highway and were on a rural road. The road was very narrow and the trees were denser. A faint red light appeared in the distance between the trees, flashed past quickly and was hidden by the leaves of the next tree.
"Almost there." Li Xuan held the steering wheel with one hand and joked, "Are you afraid I'll drive the wrong way?"
Sheng Min didn't answer. He lowered his eyes and looked at his coat. After a long while, he smiled softly: "It doesn't matter if I'm wrong."
When I got closer, I could see the red light clearly. It turned out to be two lanterns.
Li Xuan stopped the car in front of the stone archway. This is an ancient town near N City. N City was the capital of several dynasties, and it was not short of historical sites. There were still white towers and bell towers in the city, and Buddhist temples and Taoist temples in the suburban ancient town were not rare.
Although this is a town, there are only dozens of households here and the area is too small. The government has not promoted or developed it, and there are few tourists coming here.
They walked along the broken bluestone road to the town. It had rained during the day, and there was still water in the cracks of the stone slabs. Moss and weeds grew tenaciously at the corners of the walls. Occasionally, there were one or two dog barks, followed by the owner's vague scolding, and then it was quiet again. Occasionally, people passed by them, in groups of three or four, talking about the card game that had just ended, holding a bundle of green vegetables and a round watermelon in their hands, and looked at the strangers who came late at night, but their eyes did not linger for long, and they walked slowly towards home.
It was obviously Li Xuan's first time here. When he reached the corner, he had to stop and determine the direction based on the house numbers on both sides. Sheng Min didn't ask a single question, but just stood beside him and silently used his mobile phone to light the way for him.
There seems to be a scent of flowers in the air, at this time of year, probably jasmine or nightshade. I don't know which family planted it, there is only a faint fragrance, but it disappears when I smell it carefully.
For no reason, Sheng Min recalled learning Peach Blossom Spring when he was a child. He was walking along the stream, forgetting how far he had gone, when he suddenly came across a peach blossom forest.
The roads in the ancient town are winding and every wall is similar. Turning at each intersection, it seems like going in circles. But Li Xuan is very determined to go in the direction he chooses, and Sheng Min is happy to accompany him to go around in circles, even if he has no purpose.
The fragrance of unknown flowers always surrounded them, and at some point it was replaced by a sweet aroma. The smell was familiar, and Sheng Min stopped in surprise. There was a house with lights on in front of him, and he turned to look at Li Xuan. His hat accidentally fell off, and was quickly caught by Li Xuan.
After patting the white dust on the brim of his hat when it rubbed against the wall, Li Xuan raised his lips slightly and put his hand on Sheng Min's head again. He pushed his back forward and said, "Come."